LETTER: Election Talk Just Got Cheaper with Gaston’s Favorite “Three Words”

26
PM Browne

Dear Editor:

Election Talk Just Got Cheaper with Gaston’s Favorite “Three Words.”

In Stevie Wonder’s song “These Three Words” from the Jungle Fever soundtrack (1991), he uses the power of music and word rhythms to inspire fans: “These three words, sweet and simple, short and kind, always kindle, an aching heart to smile inside.”  At the end of a mystical vocal journey, between high and low notes, Stevie reveals “I Love You” as the simple, but powerful “mystery” words.

Interestingly, Gaston Browne often uses a similar style of “word rhythm” to take Antiguans and Barbudans on a mystical journey when making his political pronouncements. His Three Words are … “More to Come.”

In 2014, Gaston Browne was able to convince voters about what he could deliver, using a compelling “headline news format.” Examples such as “500 Homes in 500 Days”, “YIDA will pump 200 million dollars into the economy each year for 10 years,” “the water problem will improve in 14 days.”  He creates bold headlines, with little details or logic and he always ends with “More to Come.”

Throughout his 8 years in office, Gaston has fine-tuned the art of sales and promotions using the “three word rhythm” and he continues to offer a litany of promises and pipe dreams that capture minds and hearts. We may have been hopeful in 2014, but after more than 15 failed hotel projects, where at least 10 ground breakings were staged, we now have a basis on which to judge Gaston Browne. Look at the fiasco with the fire tenders. Some have arrived and you guessed right … “More to Come.”

We can follow this trend line and make an objective assessment of Gaston’s stewardship. Despite little development to show in the hotel sector, Gaston continues to double down, layering on even more hotel development proposals and similar far-fetched promises like the Willoughby Bay Development.  Predictably, he always ends with “More to Come.”

In the ramp up to the elections, even promises that went under the radar are being resuscitated and recycled from his 2014 and 2018 manifestos.  Gaston is back in action and has embarked on an almost daily rant about new projects and initiatives. The Jolly Beach purchase has had at least 6 different announcements about different buyers in 6 weeks. LIAT’s comeback after a 2-year hiatus, is once again on the table, as well as a litany of suggestions as to how it can be relaunched and managed. Gaston always ends with three words “More to Come.”

Over Promise and Underdeliver – More to Come!

While campaign promises are an important part of the election process and are expected to be enticing, talk is cheap. All political parties make a sales pitch to the electorate, but Gaston Browne goes overboard. Voters often do not hold politicians accountable for unfulfilled promises and so any perceived consequences are minimal. Even politicians with the best intentions can have difficulty making them happen. But there are promises that are credible and reasonable, those that are simply shots in the dark, and others are simply designed to mislead voters.

Gaston Browne is well aware that many voters only listen to the headlines and they don’t follow the trend lines. They are looking for words of hope and inspiration to latch on to. Campaign promises don’t require the complete story, just an inspiring headline, coupled with persuasive sound bytes followed by “More to Come.” In politics, history tends to repeat itself and voters’ memories can be very short-term. Gaston Browne is clearly creating “Ribbons in the Sky” in the hopes that the gains from his headline sensationalism will outweigh any costs in lost credibility.

Campaign promises are extremely critical in winning elections, especially if they provide solutions to issues that divide a nation. Let us strive to live in the here and near future! Talk is cheap and Gaston is sitting on a pile of undelivered promises. We are tired of waiting for “More to Come”, because it  has “Come up Short.“ Antiguans and Barbudans do your own research and analysis and follow the trend lines.

Sincerely,

Sunbeam

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26 COMMENTS

  1. Sunbeam have seen the light keep enlighten the ones in the dark. You speak the truth while some listen to the lies of him and believe all

    • RESULTS FOR 2023 ELECTION.

      ABLP. 17. SEATS

      UPP. 00 SEAT ( My latest polling 12 CANDIDATES WILL LOSE DEPOSITS )

      DNA. 00. SEAT ( ALL CANDIDATES WILL LOSE DEPOSITS)

      BARBUDA. 00. SEAT

      LANDSLIDE VICTORY FOR ABLP. All Antigua and Barbuda Women will vote for.ABLP because DAMANI TABOR of UPP has insulted all Women in Antigua and Barbuda. Damani TABOR said All the women in Antigua smell because of lack of water. Shame on you Damani

      • Eric the Dead-Red: I see your massa in the above picture wearing his Communist Red China Party Outfit. Has he been Colonized by the Chinese?

  2. So true. Especially the water, Gaston always tell the people more to come. Cant wait to vote dem out! Tek people fu fool.

  3. Sunbeam you are a ray of sunshine, where have you being all this time? Many thanks for calling out Gaston.

    WAKE UP EVERYBODY NO MORE SLEEPING.

    Gaston Browne and his Cabinet of Clowns need to be voted out of office.

  4. Sunbeam…..Did he deliver on the 500 homes? Did the water improve in the 14 days? Since you know there were 15 failed hotel projects…why don’t you name them and quit throwing out random numbers. Btw, over 1000 homes have been built and more water was flowing within the 14 days by paying the debt owed.
    Ha Lo is promising any and everyone everything. I haven’t heard him mention anything about getting the Clico/British American depositors any of their money back. I’m sure he will give Sandals back our tax dollars too.
    You sound like you just singing to get some of our tax dollars.

    • This is for bertaboi. Happy to supply the list of Gaston’s failed hotel projects:
      Callaloo Quay
      Marriot Hotel
      Beaches Hotel
      Shell Beach project
      Rendez-vous Hotel
      Waldorf Astoria Hotel
      Best Western
      Dulcina Hotel
      Valley Church Resort
      Half Moon Bay Resort
      Marble Hill Business Hotel
      Sunny Hill Group, Bethesday
      Pensioner’s Beach Hotel
      Halcyon Cove
      Willoughby Bay Resort.

      There are your 15 failed hotel project you FOOLISH uninformed boy. Gaston talk big but he CAN’T deliver!

      BUT WAIT: We have not finished!!!!!!
      JOLLY HARBOUR. The ABLP is so stupid, they selling the hotel and did not know that the hotel had a lien on it.
      Every Monday morning we hear that Jolly Beach have a different buyer.
      They floated a bond. One single subscriber. The man leave Gaston high an dry.

      SO YOUNG BOY, THERE IS THE LIST OF GASTON’S 15+1 FAILED HOTEL PROJECTS.
      SEE BELOW FOR GASTON’S FAILED WATER PROMISE.

      • This comment is for bertoboi:
        THE WATER SITUATION
        You are obviously but a boy. You have no recollection of the promise made by Gaston in June 2014:
        Gaston promised that we would enjoy water flowing through the pipes in 14 days. That was eight+ years ago. Let me repeat, 8 years ago. One more time 8 years ago.
        You really have low standards.
        Please tell me where the water service has improved.
        The national past-time of Antigua is carrying lugging water bottles to the standpipe.
        Gaston had enough time to fix the water situation but he does not care!

        • THIS COMMENT IS FOR BUT A BOY!
          YOUNG BOY: Were you ever a BOY SCOUT?
          If you were a BOY SCOUT you would have learnt this:
          If you make a promise, you should keep it.
          GASTON OBVIOUSLY WAS NEVER A BOY SCOUT.
          You see, Gaston promised us 500 houses in 500 days.
          over 3,000 days later he has failed to meet that goal.

          ANOTHER DAY!
          ANOTHER FAILED GASTON PROMISE!
          ANOTHER REASON WE GO VOTE HIM OUT!

  5. Exactly!! He keeps on making promises that he cannot deliver. Enough is enough. Time for him and his circus show to go.

  6. And in the mean time while we wait there is still “more to come” lord if you not busy take a walk over here.

  7. no listen as all who are saying vote them out I hope you make the right choice cause if is one thing i know upp nah better but time will tell

    • anything is better now than ALP. with all the pain, suffering and hunger……..ANYTHING RIGHT NOW WOULD BE MUCH BETTER THAN THESE PEOPLE TRYING AS HARD AS POSSIBLE TO ENRICH THEMSELVES AT THE PLIGHT OF POOR PEOPLE.

      THEY DO NOT GIVE A DAM ABOUT NO ONE, EVERY OTHER COUNTRY GIVE THEIR POPULACE COST OF LIVING RELIEF, EXCEPT ANTIGUA….ALL THE GOVERNMENT DOES IS GOUGE THE PEOPLE WITH HIGH GAS PRICES AND ADDITIONAL DUTY ON FOOD PRODUCTS THAT PEOPLE CANNOT EVEN AFFORD.
      THAT IS PURE PURE WICKEDNESS!!!

    • REPLY TO THE ONE WITH EYE TO SEE
      The UPP GAVE US THE:

      Schools meal programme
      The School Uniform programme
      The SENIOR Citizen’s programme
      Paid back pay owed to Civil Servants

      VC Bird International Airport
      Sir Vivian Richards stadium
      Ground braking for new Treasury Building ( no ground faking)
      Ground braking for ADOMS Building ( no ground faking)
      Street lighting project

      Advanced Information Technology
      Free Community Computer Access Centers
      The GATE programme
      Laptops for teachers
      Mount St. John’s Medical Center
      Clinics in Cedar Grove, Browne’s Ave and Gray’s Farm
      Ship with eye specialists
      Five Islands Secondary School

      Construct Antigua and Barbuda Initiative
      Bau Panel Project
      Business Development Golden Mile ( Village Walk, Caribbean Cinemas, Royal Palm Place)

      Hotels:
      Hermitage Resort
      Nonsuch Bay
      Carlisle Bay
      Verandah

      Dollar Barrel
      Increased pension for seniors
      the Millennium Naturalization act
      $900 less for work permit

      • Treasury was indeed a ground faking. You lose credibility by mentioning that one. Why would you mention Five Islands Secondary School? It was an idea that while still on the books for the ABLP was replaced by a better plan in UWI which the UPP was too short-sighted to immediately support.

        • CHUPS:
          I see that you are impressed with the list OF UPP ACCOMPLISHMENTS. Thank you
          You mentioned that TREASURY was a ground-faking. Interesting point. The better question for YOU to ponder concerns the element of TIME.
          That is, had the UPP retained power and had TIME to finish it, would it have been MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
          Gaston has been Prime Minister for over 8 years, many of the ground-fakings were done in the FIRST term, so he had TIME to finish the projects.
          But he could not because he is a failed experiment who frighten off investors.

          SO CHUPS, YOU HAVE LOST THAT POINT!

          On to your next point FIVE ISLANDS SCHOOL!
          It shows how narrow-minded you are!

          Is it a question of” either /or” ? Ask yourself that question.

          WHY NOT TWO OF THEM- A SCHOOL AND A UNIVERSITY

          The UPP had plans to have both a secondary school and a University.

          That place that AUA wants to rent for their university, that is the American base could have been UWI. There was land for expansion, so the government would not have to remove the primary school and their is lots of accommodation.

          So Chups, you have lost on this point .
          We could have had both the Five Islands Secondary School AND UWI.
          WIN WIN.

          The ABLP LACKS VISION AND SEES LIFE AS”EITHER /OR”.
          NOT ” WHAT ABOUT IF WE “.

          You now see the logic of the inclusion in the list. Thank you!

  8. “Gaston Browne is well aware that many voters only listen to the headlines and they don’t follow the trend lines”.

    So true!

    @ Sunbeam word-up … 👏 bravo, I wish I’d came up with that!

    • IS NIGEL CHRISTIAN ENJOYING CARNIVAL?

  9. CHUPS:
    I see that you are impressed with the list OF UPP ACCOMPLISHMENTS. Thank you
    You mentioned that TREASURY was a ground-faking. Interesting point. The better question for YOU to ponder concerns the element of TIME.
    That is, had the UPP retained power and had TIME to finish it, would it have been MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
    Gaston has been Prime Minister for over 8 years, many of the ground-fakings were done in the FIRST term, so he had TIME to finish the projects.
    But he could not because he is a failed experiment who frighten off investors.

    SO CHUPS, YOU HAVE LOST THAT POINT!

    On to your next point FIVE ISLANDS SCHOOL!
    It shows how narrow-minded you are!

    Is it a question of” either /or” ? Ask yourself that question.

    WHY NOT TWO OF THEM- A SCHOOL AND A UNIVERSITY

    The UPP had plans to have both a secondary school and a University.

    That place that AUA wants to rent for their university, that is the American base could have been UWI. There was land for expansion, so the government would not have to remove the primary school and their is lots of accommodation.

    So Chups, you have lost on this point .
    We could have had both the Five Islands Secondary School AND UWI.
    WIN WIN.

    The ABLP LACKS VISION AND SEES LIFE AS”EITHER /OR”.
    NOT ” WHAT ABOUT IF WE “.

    You now see the logic of the inclusion in the list. Thank you!

  10. @ chpz
    A school a University a learning institution the building is there, UPP said it should be a school ABLP said a university . You have to give UPP credit for looking to empower the youths and giving ABLP idea to build on it and made it into a higher learning institution .

  11. We could have had both a SECONDARY SCHOOL AND A UNIVERSITY.
    UWI could have been located an the American Base. YOU cannot deny that the American Base is a fantastic location, WHY? Because you already have most of our institutions of higher learning in that area.
    You have ABIT, you have AUA, you have Hospitality Training Institute.
    You could have had cross-sharing of classes etc.
    Furthermore, you have space for expansion so you would not have the expense of building a new primary school and you have dorms and rooms for accommodation.
    AUA is now going to rent the American Base. Why didn’t Gaston think of that location for UWI

    • Ask Juno Samuel how many years and money he wasted try to start an Antigua University. I thought he was trying to turn ASC into that. He and his team did not even think of the Navy Base.

  12. Little boy going by the name bertaboi, of course Juno Samuel thought of that. The UPP HAD BEEN SAYING THAT ALL ALONG.
    BUT the ABLP DID NOT LISTEN.

    The UPP was always in favour of the university but had a problem with taking away of the school. But the ABLP WAS lying saying that the UPP did not want the university.
    If the ABLP had just listened we would have had a WIN/WIN
    A school AND a university.

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